Stock pipe is cut to set lengths for many uses. Welded or otherwise interconnected pipe lengths are used to produce railing around balconies, railing for stairs, building trusses, space frames, and the like. Applications vary across a range of pipe diameters. Joints between pipe lengths require a variety of geometries at the pipe ends, depending on their manner of interconnection to ensure that pieces mate adequately for welding or other connection processes. Machines have been devised by which to establish these pipe end cuts.
In standard machines, a slightly over length piece of pipe, which is to be shaped at an end, is placed in the profiling machine, or end cutting machine, and a first end is cut to its required shape using whatever guidance system and cutting method the machine operates with. Then the pipe is removed, turned around, replaced, and its other end is cut after locking the pipe in the machine with its first cut properly aligned relative to the cut to be made. This can be a labour intensive task with large diameter pipes. If the second cut is different, the profiling guidance system will need to be reset. This last process involves an additional amount of labour, particularly in setting up each second cut.